BRET HART is set to make a sensational return to WWE in the new year.
According to the Wrestling Observer, The Hitman has agreed terms with Vince McMahon’s company on a short-term deal.
It will begin at the start of 2010 and run until April 10, which is just after WrestleMania.
The seeds for the controversial comeback were sown on this week’s Raw. On Monday, Vince asked guest host Dennis Miller who he thought should be a temporary GM in the future.
Miller — with the backing of the Texas crowd — demanded Hart. This prompted Vince to look uneasy and walk away, but it was clearly a major tease for the Canadian’s return.
Rumours are now rife that Bret will make his WWE comeback on January 4, which stands to be one of the biggest days in modern wrestling history.
TNA have announced that they will debut Hulk Hogan on a live three-hour Impact special on this date, running directly up against Raw.
This is a brief rekindling of the famous Monday Night Wars of the late 1990s and, if TNA are successful, it may well spark a permanent switch of their flagship show to Monday nights.
WWE have been expected to seek a major name to host their show on this night, with The Rock and Steve Austin linked with the role. Now, though, Bret is the forerunner, but a three month contract indicates a much more involved role for a sustained period.
The fact that this contract’s time frame includes WrestleMania is obviously very important.
It would be very hard to see Bret returning in a wrestling capacity, since he isn’t physically in great shape.
However, he has made a marvellous recovery from a crippling stroke suffered in 2002, and told SunSport’s WrestleCast in April that he was “the best I’ve felt in years”.
On that WrestleCast, which you can download here, it is even joked that Bret will be back at WrestleMania 26.
At the time it seemed a ridiculous and unlikely notion, but all of a sudden may be a reality.
A major question has to be who he will work with, and in what capacity.
One theory is that Bret could come in as a more permanent authority figure, in a duelling, antagonistic role opposite Vince McMahon.
Also possible is a feud with Vince in a similar mould to McMahon’s tussle with Donald Trump two years ago, where Bret could select a wrestle to fight against someone of Vince’s choice.
It is thought unlikely that Hart would want anything to do with real life enemies Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
But then it was unlikely that he would return to WWE.
Bret’s nephew David Hart Smith, niece Natalya and her boyfriend, Tyson Kidd, who was trained by the Harts, feature in WWE at the Hart Dynasty. It is highly likely that some interaction with them will take place.
The legendary Hitman, 52, was one of the greatest wrestlers in history, and a multi-time WWF champion.
He was forced to retire in 2000 at the age of 43 while competing for WCW because of a major concussion and has rarely been seen in wrestling since then.
Hart left WWE acrimoniously in 1997 after what became known as the ‘Montreal Screwjob’, when he lost his title to hated rival Michaels after legitimately not being told the planned finish of the match.
In the twelve years since Survivor Series ‘97 Bret has, on many occasions, expressed his distain for what happened in Montreal and blasted McMahon, Michaels and WWE in general.
However, there have been a few moments of conciliation.
In late 2005 a Bret Hart DVD was released by WWE with the full co-operation of Hart, who filmed several hours of interview footage for it and met with Vince for the first time in eight years.
The following year Hart was inducted into the Hall of Fame, making a very emotional acceptance speech, but did not appear on the next night’s WrestleMania when the inductees made their bow on stage.
In 2007, Vince McMahon Appreciation Night took place on Raw, and featured several wrestling mocking the WWE supremo rather than praising him.
Amazingly Bret appeared, with no fanfare, via a taped interview, to take a few verbal shots at his old boss.
There has been talk that WWE are to produce a Hart Foundation DVD featuring the best from Bret’s team with Jim Neidhart, and also the resurrection of the Hart Foundation faction which included Bret’s tragic brother Owen, brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith and Brian Pillman.
Bret has admitted in the past that he would be happy to induct Owen into the Hall of Fame, so this may also have a bearing on his decision to return.
Whatever the reason may be, we’re absolutely delighted to see Bret back in the fold.
As a wrestling night, January 4 may just be the best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be.
